Trailblazer PACESETTER Late Bloomer
Company Narrative
Union Pacific, a national railroad company connecting the western two-thirds of the United States, has been ranked as a PACESETTER on the Women’s Power and Influence Index.
Union Pacific has achieved pay parity and prides itself on its LEAD mission, an executive-sponsored mission to increase women’s recruitment.
As of 2022, 5% of Union Pacific’s workforce is women, with approximately 30% of leadership positions being held by women.
Sufficient information relating to Union Pacific’s subsidized childcare could not be found.
Workforce Profile
Equitable Pay
✓ Does the company demonstrate a clear and transparent commitment to equal pay?
“When the study was completed, we were elated that our third-party expert validated our equal pay practices. The pay equity review revealed our pay is equal across gender and race. “(At Union Pacific) There is no statistically significant variance in pay; men and women and people of color are currently paid within 1% of each other for the same job and similar job responsibilities.” Specifically, women earned 99.4 cents for every dollar that men earned. People of color earned 99.7 cents on every dollar that white employees earned. This validated our commitment to employee pay equity and our pledge to foster a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where our competitive compensation practices are transparent and employees can participate fully and equally in all aspects of our workplace programs.”
✓ Does the company perform an annual analysis of gender pay equity and pay disparities?
“Union Pacific has a longstanding history of competitive compensation and pay equity practices and an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion. Our mission is to foster a workplace where all employees can perform at their highest levels and truly belong. We have long understood talent is best attracted and retained in a variety of ways, with competitive pay being a consistent leader. For years we’ve conducted an annual pay audit of our management employees that includes a critical pay equity review for both race and gender of salary and bonuses.”
✓ Do female employees earn at least 95% of what their male counterparts earn?
“We’re proud of the many ways we lead our industry, but we’re especially proud of this one: pay equity.
In 2022, a third-party compensation expert assessed our pay practices and validated equal pay at Union Pacific. The results showed there is no statistically significant difference in pay across gender or race: men and women, and people of color, are currently paid within 1% of each other.”
Career Growth
✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to actively attracting, retaining, and/or promoting women within the organization?
“We accelerated recruitment efforts, exceeding our hiring goals. Recruiting and retaining talent is essential – it plays a critical role in our railroad’s fluidity. We must continue evolving our recruiting practices, including expanding our industry-leading Second Chance Hiring Program, to achieve our hiring and 2030 diversity goals of reaching 11% women and 40% people of color representation.”
Ref: Pg 3, Union Pacific We Are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company provide professional development programs designed specifically for female employees?
“The LEAD Mission is to foster an environment that increases opportunities for women to be recruited, retained and advanced as Union Pacific leaders; to make a difference through professional programming, personal development, mentoring and community involvement.” Ensuring professional developmental opportunities are available to women, throughout the year LEAD members plan other educational programs on job performance, investments, environmental stewardship and networking.”
Ref: Union Pacific ERGs
“Women in Tech initiatives, showcasing female leaders driving innovation into our railroad; and Women on Wheels, bringing together our female Mechanical managers to drive connection while providing a collaborative space to identify and discuss challenges.”
Ref : Pg 16, Union Pacific We Are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company provide professional development programs designed specifically for diverse employees?
“The LEAD Mission is to foster an environment that increases opportunities for women to be recruited, retained and advanced as Union Pacific leaders; to make a difference through professional programming, personal development, mentoring and community involvement.” Ensuring professional developmental opportunities are available to women, throughout the year LEAD members plan other educational programs on job performance, investments, environmental stewardship and networking.”
Ref: Union Pacific ERGs
“Women in Tech initiatives, showcasing female leaders driving innovation into our railroad; and Women on Wheels, bringing together our female Mechanical managers to drive connection while providing a collaborative space to identify and discuss challenges.”
Ref : Pg 16, Union Pacific We Are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company offer a formal mentoring program to support the career advancement of all female employees?
“The LEAD Mission is to foster an environment that increases opportunities for women to be recruited, retained and advanced as Union Pacific leaders; to make a difference through professional programming, personal development, mentoring and community involvement.” Ensuring professional developmental opportunities are available to women, throughout the year LEAD members plan other educational programs on job performance, investments, environmental stewardship and networking.”
Ref: Union Pacific ERGs
✓ Does the company offer a formal mentoring program to support the career advancement of diverse employees?
“UpLift Sponsorship Program. This two-year program selects about 40 high potential employees from underrepresented groups and pairs them with executive sponsors. The goal is to create career mobility, expand networking circles and offer executive leadership training. It’s working: 64% of participants in their second cohort year and 30% of participants in their first were promoted or made development moves, and 92% believe the company is investing in their future.”
Ref: Pg 21, Union Pacific We Are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company have policies and programs in place to actively recruit female candidates?
“The Manufacturing Institute (MI) – Our partnership with The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, will help shrink the gender gap in the workforce by inspiring more women and young people to pursue modern industry careers.”
Ref: Pg 36, Union Pacific Building America Report 2022
✓ Does the company have policies and programs in place to actively recruit diverse candidates?
“Union Pacific is committed to providing our employees with a world-class employment experience. As they help fulfill our vision to build America, we want them to feel valued, engaged and inspired. The process begins with recruiting talented and diverse employees to join our team. We then focus on training and development, which includes programs designed to recognize potential and help our employees grow so we can retain our talent and prepare them for future roles. The final stage is providing our team members with the tools to achieve a successful and fulfilling retirement.”
Ref: Pg 21, Union Pacific Building America Report 2022
Work-Life Balance
✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to providing support and/or time off for women with children?
“We also recognize employees may need help at home to support work schedules required to run the railroad’s around-the-clock operations. The Bright Horizons Care Advantage™ resource provides employees with access to one of the largest online caregiver databases. Featured services supporting better work-life balance include:
- Center-Based Child Care
- Pet Care
- Babysitters and Nannies
- Elder Care”
✓ Does the company provide child care support for employees?
“The Enhanced Family Support Portal connects employees systemwide with essential, supportive care providers and services, such as center-based and in-home 24/7 childcare, elder care, pet care and housekeeping, as well as tutoring and homework help.”
Ref: Pg 32, Union Pacific We Are One Report 2022
✘ Does the company offer subsidized child care?
Information regarding this criterion was unavailable or incomplete.
✓Does the company offer paid maternity leave for birthing parents?
“Non-union (non-agreement) employee “birth mothers” will receive six weeks of paid leave in addition to short-term disability six-week benefit for normal delivery or eight-week benefit for cesarean section delivery. Birth mothers with less than three months of service, not meeting short-term disability eligibility requirements, will receive the enhanced six-week paid maternity leave.”
✓Does the company provide paid parental leave that extends beyond birthing parents to include surrogacy, adoption, and paternity leave?
“Non-union (non-agreement) employees not receiving Maternity leave may take Parental leave. Parental leave is a paid leave of up to 4 weeks to actively bond with a child following (1) the birth of an employee’s own child or (2) the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care”
✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to supporting the health benefits of its female employees?
“Medical care and treatment by a Doctor including Hospital, office and home visits, and emergency room services. Covered Health Services received in a Doctor’s office including:
• Treatment of a sickness or injury. Preventive medical care.
• Voluntary family planning.
• Well-baby and well-child care.
• Routine well woman examinations, including pap smears, pelvic
examinations, and mammograms.
• Routine physical examinations, including hearing screenings.
• Immunizations”
Ref: Pg 94, Union Pacific Flex Benefits 2022
✓ Does the company offer women-specific health benefits for female employees?
“Medical care and treatment by a Doctor including Hospital, office and home visits, and emergency room services. Covered Health Services received in a Doctor’s office including:
• Treatment of a sickness or injury. Preventive medical care.
• Voluntary family planning.
• Well-baby and well-child care.
• Routine well woman examinations, including pap smears, pelvic
examinations, and mammograms.
• Routine physical examinations, including hearing screenings.
• Immunizations”
Ref: Pg 94, Union Pacific Flex Benefits 2022
Workplace Standards
✓ Does the company have a policy listing prohibited behaviors, such as harassment and retaliation?
“Sexual harassment refers to any:
• unwelcome sexual advances or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature;
• requests for sexual favors or conduct of a sexual nature when
– submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of an individual’s employment, or
– submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the
basis for any employment decision affecting the individual, or
– such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an
individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment; or
• sexual misconduct, which means any behavior of a sexual nature which
also involves coercion, abuse of authority, or misuse of an individual’s employment position.”
Ref: Pg 12, Union Pacific Statement of Policy on Ethics and Business 2022
“Remember that ethical violations can be reported in confidence and without fear of retaliation. The Company does not tolerate any kind of retaliation. Employees must not retaliate against any other employee that reports, in good faith, what he or she believes is a violation of law, rule, regulation, or the Policy.
Examples of retaliation include:
• Transferring to a less desirable position
• Giving a negative performance review
• Firing or suspending
• Coercing or punishing an employee in any other way
Any employee who violates our non-retaliation policy will be subject to disciplinary
action, up to and including termination.”
Ref: Pg 6, Union Pacific Statement of Policy on Ethics and Business 2022
✓ Does the company mandate all employees to undergo harassment and discrimination training?
“All employees in certain geographical areas, including Illinois and California are required to participate in sexual harassment training. This training includes examples of prohibited conduct to further train employees on what is and is not acceptable behavior in the workplace.”
Ref: Pg 13, Union Pacific Statement of Policy on Ethics and Business 2022
✓ Does the company have a defined harassment policy that includes promptly addressing reported incidents?
“Any employee who violates our non-retaliation policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.”
Ref: Pg 6, Union Pacific Statement of Policy on Ethics and Business 2022
Stakeholder Engagement
✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to helping external stakeholders address gender equality issues?
“We’re also proud to partner with the National Association of Manufacturers’ workforce development and education partner on a $3 million, three-year joint initiative called Careers on Track. The program seeks to inspire young women and youth to pursue modern industrial careers through workforce development initiatives like digital STEM curriculum, a virtual 3D STEM experience, a STEM micro-grant program and a digital campaign showcasing industry careers – allowing Union Pacific to close the gender gap by building awareness of jobs in the field.”
Ref: Pg 27, Union Pacific We are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company offer and support initiatives that promote gender equality in the community?
“We’re also proud to partner with the National Association of Manufacturers’ workforce development and education partner on a $3 million, three-year joint initiative called Careers on Track. The program seeks to inspire young women and youth to pursue modern industrial careers through workforce development initiatives like digital STEM curriculum, a virtual 3D STEM experience, a STEM micro-grant program and a digital campaign showcasing industry careers – allowing Union Pacific to close the gender gap by building awareness of jobs in the field.”
Ref: Pg 27, Union Pacific We are One Report 2022
✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to helping internal stakeholders/employees address gender equality issues?
“We also highlight which United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Union Pacific contributes to most significantly: Gender Equality.”
Ref: Pg 7, Union Pacific Building America Report 2022
✓ Does the company offer equity-focused trainings, speaker programs, or events for employees?
“Engaging with our stakeholders, which includes employees, customers, investors, suppliers, representatives, and community leaders, to build strong relationships and provide excellent customer service to meet and exceed their needs
Employees Union Pacific’s more than 33,000 employees work 24/7 across our 23-state service area. We support and engage employees through the following channels:
• DE&I Listening Sessions”
Ref: Pg 29, Union Pacific Building America Report 2022